Facts about Indian Missiles

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  • Father of Indian Missile Programme is A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
  • Missile Man of India is A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Missile Woman of India is Tessy Thomas.
  • The Project director of Agni- IV missile is Tessy Thomas. The first woman scientist to lead a missile mission in India is Tessy Thomas.
  • Prithvi is first indigenously built missile of India. Prithvi is a surface to surface type of short range ballistic missile. Its army version has a range of 180 km. Airforce version has a range of 250 km and Naval version has a range 350 km.
  • Dhanush is a variant of the surface to surface Prithvi II Missile developed for Indian Navy (350 km range with a payload of 500 kg).
  • Brahmos is a supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from Submarines, ships, aircraft or land (range of 300-500 km and speed of Mach 2.8 — 3.0). Brahmos is a joint venture of countries, India and Russia. It is named after two rivers, the Brahmaputra of India and the Moskva of Russia. The name Brahmos was given by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
  • Brahmos II is a hypersonic cruise missile currently under development (expected range 290 km and speed Mach 7).
  • Akash is a medium range surface to air missile developed by India with an intercept range of 30 km. It is used by Indian Army and Air Force.
  • Trishul is a short range surface type of air missile made by India. It has a range of 9 km.
  • Nag is an anti-tank guided missile developed in India. Land version has a range of 3 to 7 km and air launched version has a range of 7-10 km.
  • Shaurya missile is a surface to surface type of short range ballistic missile made for the Indian Army. It has a range of 750 to 1900 km.
  • Prahaar is a short range solid fueled surface to surface type of guided tactical ballistic missile. It has a range of 150 km.
  • Agni is a group of small to intercontinental range of ballistic missiles made by India.
  • Astra Missile is known as 'Missile of Future'. It is a beyond visual range air to air missile developed for the Indian Air Force. It has an operational range of 80-110 km.
  • Maitri is a short range surface to air point defence missile system. It has a range of 15 km. It is a combined project of India and France.
  • Pinaka is a multiple rocket launcher developed by India. It has a maximum range of 39-40 km. It was used during Kargil War.
  • Ashwin Ballistic Missile Interceptor is aimed to intercept incoming ballistic missiles at an elevation of 30 km. It is an anti ballistic type of missile.
  • Barak-8 is being developed by India and Israel. It is made to defend India's military assets against any type of missiles.

Agni Series

  • Agni I, Medium range Ballistic Missile with range of 700 - 1250 km.
  • Agni II, Intermediate range Ballistic Missile with range of 2000 - 3000 km.
  • Agni III, Intermediate range Ballistic Missile with range of 3500 - 5000 km.
  • Agni IV, Intermediate range Ballistic Missile with range of 3000 - 4000 km.
  • Agni V, Intercontinental Ballistic Missile with range of 5000 - 8000 km
  • Agni VI, Intercontinental Ballistic Missile with range of 8000 - 10000 km

Facts about Guided Missile Destroyers

  • The navy at present runs three Delhi and five Rajput class guided missile destroyers. They will be replaced by the next generation Kolkata class.
  • Kolkata class guided missile destroyers comprises three ships — INS Kolkata, Kochi and Chennai. All are built by Mazagon Dock Ltd. All the three have not yet been commissioned expected to commission in 2014.
  • The Navy operates several classes of guided missile frigates — three Shivalik class frigates and six talwar class frigates. INS Shivalik is the first stealth worship build by India. It was build at the Mazagon Dock Ltd. The other two Shivalik class frigates are INS Satpura (2011) and INS Sahyadri (2012).
  • The INS Taragiri (last Nilgiri class frigate) has been decommissioned on 27 June 2013.
  • Indian Navy runs the Kora, Veer, Khukri and Abhay class corvettes.
  • The next generation Kamorta class of corvettes are under development with the first INS Kamorta was commissioned on August 2014 into Navy's Eastern fleet.
  • Now 12 vessels of Veer class Corvettes are active with Indian Navy. One vessel of this class INS Prahar collided with a container ship M.V. Rajiv Gandhi and sank off the shore of Goa.
  • Indian Navy has 3 class Replenishment tankers — Jyoti class, the Aditya class and the Deepak class Tankers.
  • INS Aditya is the only ship of Aditya class and was commissioned on 3 April 2000.
  • Deepak class tanks have 2 ships — INS Deepak commissioned on 21 January 2011 and INS Shakti commissioned on 1 October 2011.
  • Indian Navy operates Sindhughosh and Shishumar class submarines. Nine vessels of Sindhughosh class submarines are in active service with Indian Navy.
  • Sindhughosh class submarine exploded and sank in Mumbai in 14 August 2013 is INS Sindhurakshak.
  • The Submarine in which Abdul Kalam sailed is INS Sindhurakshak (13 February. 2006).
  • INS Sindhuratna of Sindhughosh class of Submarine exploded in Mumbai coast in 26 February, 2014. The Navy Chief Admiral Who took responsibility for the INS Sindhuratna mishap and resigned from the post is Admiral Devendrakumar Joshi. The first Chief of the Indian Navy to resign from the post is Admiral Devendrakumar Joshi.
  • Four Shishumar class vessels (INS Shishumar, Shankush, Shalki and Shankul) are currently in active service with the Indian Navy.
  • Akula class nuclear powered attack submarine of Russia (K-152 Nerpa) transferred on lease for 10 years to the Indian Navy on 4 April 2012 is INS Chakra.
  • The first nuclear powered ballistic missile submarine designed and built by India is INS Arihant.
  • INS Arihant is the first nuclear submarine made by India other than by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. INS Arihant has been launched for sea trials on August 2013. It is expected to be commissioned in 2015.